Green phantom pleco (L200)
Hemiancistrus subviridis
Also known as L200, Green Phantom Plec, Lemon Spotted Green Pleco
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 79–86°F
- 26–30°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 7.1 in
- 18 cm
- Minimum tank
- 53 gal
- 200 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Origin
- Rio Orinoco and Rio Ventuari drainages of Venezuela and eastern Colombia.
Overview
A medium pleco that needs a tank around 200 liters or larger with strong current. It is not a dedicated algae eater, so feed a protein-forward mix of sinking wafers, frozen bloodworms, mysis, and chopped shrimp with only the occasional spirulina wafer and blanched vegetable. Peaceful toward other fish but territorial with its own kind, so give each pleco its own cave.
In the wild
Lives in warm, fast-flowing stretches of the Orinoco among boulders and bedrock cracks where it grazes the biofilm and algae film off rock faces. Despite the green color and the algae-grazer reputation it takes a lot of animal protein in the wild, feeding on aufwuchs packed with small crustaceans and insect larvae. Give it strong flow, high oxygen, and plenty of rock and cave cover.
Good to know
Described as Hemiancistrus subviridis and sometimes sold as the lemon-spotted green pleco. The high-fin form traded as L200a is a different fish, Baryancistrus demantoides. Color ranges from olive to bright lime green with fine gold spotting.
Did you know
The bright green fades if the diet is too heavy on vegetables and light on protein, so a green phantom that turns dull usually just needs more meaty food.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Green phantom pleco (L200) is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Clown barb
Barbodes dunckeri
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Pike topminnow
Belonesox belizanus
Freshwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 44 gal (165 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Green turushuki catfish
Hemidoras morrisi
Freshwater6.3 in (16 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Jeweled baril
Opsarius pulchellus
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Forest halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 34 gal (130 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Flat flyer pleco
Pseudolithoxus anthrax
Freshwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Green phantom pleco (L200) need?
A Green phantom pleco (L200) needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Green phantom pleco (L200) need?
A Green phantom pleco (L200) is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big does a Green phantom pleco (L200) get?
An adult Green phantom pleco (L200) reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).
Related species
9.8 in (25 cm)66 gal (250 L)81–86°F (27–30°C)Blue phantom pleco (L128)
Hemiancistrus sp. L128
9.8 in (25 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
5.5 in (14 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Orange seam pleco
Hemiancistrus guahiborum
5.5 in (14 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (115 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)Orinoco angel pleco (L201)
Hypancistrus sp. L201
5.9 in (15 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (113 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Snowball pleco (L102)
Hypancistrus inspector
5.9 in (15 cm) · 30 gal (113 L)
8.7 in (22 cm)66 gal (250 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)Sultan pleco (L264)
Leporacanthicus joselimai
8.7 in (22 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Flash pleco (L204)
Panaqolus albivermis
5.1 in (13 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)